SHAWNEE – Nearly 350 days since a victory, Oklahoma Baptist (1-0) clawed back into the win column via a 23-21 defeat over Arkansas Tech (0-1) to open the 2023 campaign.
Behind a revamped special teams unit, a confident offense, and a determined defense, the Bison began their season on top. Tonight's triumph was special because it marked the second season-opening win in the Division II era.
Freshman kicker Luke Watkins chimed in nine points in his OBU debut, splitting the uprights from distances of 33, 23, and 43 yards. Offensively, the Bison compiled 329 yards, including 130 on the ground.
The tandem of tailbacks EJ Moore and Aaron Smith combined for 94 yards, highlighted by 83 yards and 23 carries from Moore. Smith reached paydirt once, collecting his first career touchdown on Bison Hill. Signal-caller Aidan Thompson rushed for 39 yards on seven attempts, including a 21-yard scamper.
Thompson added 199 yards through the air and one touchdown, completing 16-of-24 of his passing attempts. Junior wideout Jaiden Henry led the receiving corps with 43 yards on five catches and a touchdown. Henry has scored touchdowns in back-to-back season openers.
Defensively, sophomore defensive end Brett Karhu had a career night. He exceeded his career total (1.0) with 2.5 sacks against the Wonder Boys, accounting for 18 yards lost. He finished with seven tackles, a match of Rian Fields' total that included five solo stops and a tackle-for-loss.
Brandon Spencer notched his first career interception, in which he nearly returned for a touchdown, hustling 48 yards down the sideline.
Oklahoma Baptist began the game hitting on all cylinders, marching 78 yards in eight plays to go up 7-0 on the opening drive. Later in the second quarter, a couple of Watkins' field goals put OBU up by 13 points, but ATU didn't coward down. The opposition put on a 15-play, 93-yard drive that resulted in seven points and a 13-7 tally before halftime.
Still, even after the break, the Bison offense remained in-tune. A 14-yard connection from Thompson to Henry drew the score 20-7 with nine minutes left in the third stanza.
Arkansas Tech responded early in the fourth, capping an 85-yard drive with a rushing score from Corbin Humphrey.
With a little over two minutes remaining, Watkins' leg rang once more to put the good guys up 23-14. Tech snuck in a touchdown late, but an unsuccessful onside kick attempt gave way for a couple of kneel-downs and a Bison victory.
In 10 days, Oklahoma Baptist will travel to No. 14 Harding (1-0) on Saturday, Sept. 10. The Bisons have won every game against OBU since its inaugural season in DII.
